The Tree
by salamanstrom
Summary: In Mineral Town, there is a tree that has seemed to live for as long as the village has existed. Embedded within it lies the blood by which communities thrive: stories. As an old witness, the Tree contains stories, not only of people, but of specific points of space and time. Drabbles.
1. 1982

_Hey everyone! This is a one-shot based on the game Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town. I thought I'd try my hand at fanfiction, and being I really like the Harvest Moon series of games, I thought I'd start with what I knew. I actually have future ideas for this story, but I wanted to test the waters to see if this concept is any good. Please let me know if you would like to read more!_

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><p>1982<p>

"Oh my God, I can't stand him!" shouted a young, dark haired beauty walking beside an awkward, yet handsome man about her age. Their feet clopped on the cobblestone road of Mineral Town, matching each other in a rhythmic pattern as they approached a streetlight. The lines of light brightened the dark road that stretched from the Town Square to the north.

"I honestly don't even understand why he had me!" the girl said angrily.

The young man brought their footsteps to a halt and turned to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't say that, Aja," said the man with a sympathetic look on his face, "you know your father loves you."

"Well he has a funny way of showing it!" shouted Aja. "All we do is argue, Harris!"

Harris looked at his best friend with sad eyes, not knowing what to say.

Aja looked out farther down the road. She could almost see the point where the cobblestone ended and the wooden dock of the beach began. The salty smell of sea air was barely noticeable over the rural village, but as she looked toward the edge of the small town, Aja swore she could almost taste it. Not just the air of seawater, but the sense of adventure beyond the confines of her home village.

"I just want to leave this place."

Harris looked in the same direction as Aja, but he did not sense adventure. He sensed danger. He feared for the young, idealistic girl who stood near him. Knowing only stories of the city that lay far away, he feared that his beloved country girl would march, unexpectedly into danger. No, he could not sense the same things as Aja, but he knew better than to force his way over her. Not just in principle, but due to specific cases in his childhood when he'd try to force her to do something and was rewarded with a punch in the stomach.

"I wish you wouldn't say that," said Harris sadly, "It makes me think that you'll do it one day."

Aja looked up at the young man. He was tall and lanky and his nose was a little too big for his face, but when he smiled, she couldn't help but do the same. Whenever the occasional visitor came into town, they would always comment as to how lucky Harris was to have such a beautiful companion in Aja and Harris would smile and say nothing, trying to keep coy. But no matter how relaxed Harris tried to seem, Aja knew the truth. She could almost hear his heart beating in his chest, the sound and the speed of that organ beating as fast as a locomotive.

"Harris…" said Aja, looking into his eyes. "I don't mean to make you feel bad. It's just that I can't take life here anymore. All there is to do is to live another day in the same old boring existence. Learn the job that your parents did. Go to the church that your parents go to. Marry someone you've always known. Work for you living. Have children. Die. It's too monotonous for me. You know I can't live that way."

"What's wrong with that kind of life Aja?" asked Harris suddenly, much to Aja's surprise. "You make it seem like such a bother. There are people who would love nothing better to live the life you've just described. I don't need excitement to make my life meaningful! I can make my own excitement!"

"Maybe you don't need excitement," said Aja, "but I do. I can't live that life Harris! I can't!"

"Why not Aja? Why not?" asked Harris, intent on an answer.

"I've told you a million times!"

"No!" shouted Harris, getting angry. "I don't want the same 'I can't stand my father' argument. Why do you want to leave?! Why do you want to leave so bad?! Why Aja?! Why?!"

"Because I hate this village!" shouted Aja at the top of her lungs. "I hate this village and life here! I can't stand the monotony! I'm unhappy, Harris! Is that what you wanted to hear? It's because I'm ashamed! I'm ashamed of this place! I'm ashamed to call this place home! I'm ashamed to say that I'm from here!"

Harris looked at the girl in front of him who had just confessed the way she truly felt about the place he loved. His mouth hung open in disbelief. He turned away from her and put his hand on a tree so that he was leaning into it with his head hanging down. It was as if he wanted to throw up from the news of Aja's true feelings about the village. He couldn't believe what he'd heard.

Aja started to catch her breath, thinking over what she had just said, but, she didn't regret it. She had kept this secret bottled up within her for many years and she had to tell someone. She'd try to tell her father, but he would never understand, thinking that she was just ungrateful. Yet, from the look of things, it seemed that Harris just couldn't understand either.

"Sometimes," said Aja, "I think that you're the only thing keeping me from leaving."

Harris looked back at her, his finger tracing the heart that had been carved into the tree for ages. Some of the bark broke off of the tree as he picked at the trunk. The look in his eyes still echoed the disbelief from earlier. He stood as a man whose worldview had been shaken at the foundations.

"But," said Aja, "even you can't stop me."

Harris nodded. "Looks like you made up your mind."

"Yeah," said Aja, "I have."

"You already called for the boat, didn't you?"

Aja nodded at Harris's premonition. "How did you know?"

Harris turned back to the tree. "Men's intuition."

Aja turned her back from Harris as well. "I want you there," said Aja, looking toward the eastern sea.

Harris looked at the shattered pieces of bark in the palm of his hand. He looked up toward the western mountains. Harris remained silent.

The silence continued for a little while the two of them stared in opposite directions, not knowing what to do or say. Eventually, Aja couldn't bear the silence any longer.

"I'll miss you Harris," said Aja.

"I'll miss you too, Aja," said Harris.

"You know," said Aja, eyes still looking away from Harris, "if I wasn't leaving, I'd…well, I'd want to tell you that…"

The clopping on the cobblestone began again. Aja turned around to see Harris walking toward his house. She couldn't see his face, but she knew that there were tears in his eyes. Two little diamonds began to form in Aja's eyes as well. As she watched her oldest and dearest friend walk away from her, she looked around at the little lights of Mineral Town and looked up to see the stars shining over her like a wedding canopy. She sighed and continued walking, the sound of soft taps of cobblestone eventually turning into the deep booms of wood on the dock.


	2. 1975

_Hey everyone! This is the second chapter to The Tree. Unfortunately, I fear that you may have all started reading this story under false pretenses, looking for an exclusively Harris/Aja story. The Tree is not intended to be a singular romance story, but a series of drabbles meant to highlight fixed points of space and time rather than upon two specific people. Anyway, in this chapter, I tried to include another type of relationship, and I'm actually kind of proud of it, haha. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please let me know if you want more!_

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><p>1975<p>

The rain fell hard over the village that autumn night. The wet streets glowed with the reflection of the streetlights that lined them. In the distance of the lights, two shadows walked side by side along the quiet street. Closer the two approached; their steps perfectly in synch with each other. Beneath the streetlamp light, the figures of two robust, burly men came into sight. They were both tall and barrel-chested, their arms strong from the long days of labor they performed as per their duties in the village.

One of the men had his hair cut into a flat top, the beginnings of a small moustache developing on his face. He wore a sleeveless white shirt and jeans but covered them up with a plastic rain coat. He also held an umbrella that protected the two men from the rain. The other man had short blond hair. He wore a flannel shirt rolled up to his elbows and dark blue slacks. He also wore a coat, but had a pair of glasses resting on his face. Over his shoulder he slung a large, brown backpack filled with a sleeping bag, other pairs of clothes, and other supplies he would need.

"Lilia is really sick," said the blonde man, "I've never seen her like this before Zack, I'm really worried."

"She was always such a strong woman," began Zack, the man in the white sleeveless shirt, "but do you really think that leaving her is the best idea Rod? Why not just spend these happy times together."

Rod frowned as he stopped walking. "I can't just give up hope Zack," said Rod, staring into nothingness, "I have to do something."

"I understand that," said Zack, "but your children are still young and Lilia is sick! How can she raise both Rick and Popuri without you? If you go chasing after this mushroom, who knows if you'll get back? Lilia might even pass away without you."

Rod turned to Zack. "Look Zack," said Rod getting up into his friend's face. They were of almost equal height and could look right into each other's eyes. "I get your concern, but if I can find this mushroom, Lilia will be healed! It will be like old times again."

"No Rod," said Zack, "it will never be like old times."

Rod squinted his eyes and turned away. He walked beside a tree that grew beside the road. As he touched the tree, some ants began to crawl on his hands.

"How long do you suppose this tree's been here?" asked Rod.

Zack watched his friend as the backpack fell to the wet ground. "Don't know" said Zack, "forever I guess."

"You know," said Rod, "it wasn't so long ago."

"What are you talking about?" asked Zack, "that tree's been here for years!"

"No," said Rod, "I'm not talking about the tree." Rod moved his finger along the side of the trunk; he slowly traced the heart that had been carved there. Feeling the contours of the lines, he suddenly became angry and gave the tree a tough punch.

"Now why did you go and do that?" asked Zack.

"Why do you think?!" shouted Rod.

Zack backed up, surprised at his friend's outburst.

"What are you talking about?" asked Zack. "I really don't understand!"

"That because you never did!" shouted Rod as he jumped on his friend.

Rod gave Zack a rough punch in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Zack rolled away and tried to avoid Rod, only to received Rod's hard fist in his face. Now angry, Zack retaliated with his elbow, hitting Rod's chest, knocking the wind out of the blonde man. The two men kept fighting for a while, the heavy rain soaking their clothes. Eventually, Zack pushed Rod away from him and stood up. There, both wet with rainwater and tensions flaring, the two men stared at each other.

"What's your problem, Rod?" shouted Zack. "What's the big idea?"

"You know damn well!" shouted Rod. "Look at this place and remember what you did!"

Zack's eyes widened. The realization came quick into his mind.

"You saw it…" was all Zack could muster up the strength to say.

"Yes I saw it!" shouted Rod. "How could you do that?!"

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><p>1973<p>

Lilia clung to the tree, tears streaming down from her cheeks. With each sob, she grabbed harder on the bark of the old pear tree. As a young girl, she would often play on this tree with Manna and Anna, and during those days she would climb the branches and look at the small village, talking about the boys here age with her young friends. Now, there would be no climbing trees, and mainly for one reason. She was nine months pregnant with Popuri.

Tears continued to fill the grooves of her face, creating small streams. She remembered as the Doctor looked at her and her husband with that sad and confused look in his eyes. That look which said, "Your disease is incurable" and "We don't know what effect it will have on the baby."

Fear, confusion, and despondency enveloped Lilia like darkness, but not only about the news of the disease, but her husband's decision to leave her to find the only possible cure for her illness. They had only been married a few years, but she loved Rod more than anything, and she knew Rod loved her, but she didn't know how to feel about him making the decision to leave. She wanted to be thankful, but at the same time, she was angry; angry that the man who was supposed to be her partner was going to leave her when she needed him the most.

"Lil?" called a voice from behind her.

Lilia turned around quickly. "Oh Zack!" she said exclaimed as she rushed in the man's arms, not even looking at his face. She knew the only person who called her "Lil."

"What's wrong?" asked Zack as he held Lilia in his arms.

"Oh Zack," she said, "I don't know what to do. I'm about to have this baby and Rick is going into his rambunctious years, and I'm sick, and Rod is leaving. Oh why is this happening to me Zack? Why? What did I do to deserve this?"

Zack covered Lilia in his strong arms. "You didn't do anything," he spoke gently into her ear. "These things happen."

"Why does Rod have to leave me, Zack?! I don't know if I can make it without him."

"Lil," said Zack still holding the pregnant woman. "You're so lucky to have a husband who is so willing to do anything to find a cure for you. Thanks to that Basil fellow who moved into town knowing of this mushroom and your husband's willingness to find it, I'm sure you'll be healed in no time."

The tears had fallen off of Lilia's face and onto Zack's shirt. "Can I do it Zack? Can I raise these two children alone?"

Zack looked at Lilia's eyes which were drenched with tears. Looking deeper into her lovely eyes, Zack let go of her and moved toward the tree. He put his hands over a carved heart in the tree bark.

"Do you remember Lil, that day before your wedding?"

Lilia nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "Of course."

"Do you remember what I told you?"

Lilia looked at the ground, unable to meet the man's line of sight. "You told me that…that I'd never be alone."

"And why do you suppose I said that?" asked Zack.

"Well," said Lilia, a little uncomfortable. "I suppose it's because…well…you…"

She felt two hands grab her wrists and she looked up to Zack's face in front of her. There was fear in his eyes and a sense of guilt, as he knew what he was about to do was wrong, very, very wrong.

"You'll never be alone Lil," said Zack, "because I will always love you."

Zack leaned in as his lips met Lilia's. Lilia trembled at Zack's kiss. It was such a comfort to her, but she knew it was wrong. As she kissed Zack, the image of Rod and Rick appeared into her mind and she suddenly pulled away.

"Zack!" shouted Lilia, "how could you?"

Zack pulled back himself. He was completely embarrassed by what he had done. "Lilia," said Zack, "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"Zack, please go away."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done it! I'm so sorry Lilia, please forgive me!"

Lilia waddled away as fast as she could, not able to go very fast because of her pregnancy. Zack, on the other hand fell to his knees in anger.

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><p>"How could I do that!" yelled Zack to himself. "What kind of monster am I?"<p>

Rod looked at Zack, the rain still falling heavily overhead.

"You are scum!" shouted Rod, "no, you're worse than that!"

Zack bowed his head. He was very ashamed of what he had done, and he even regretted it. It was very inappropriate of him to kiss a woman in whose wedding he served as a best man. He was the godfather of her firstborn son for goodness sake!

"Rod, I…"

"Don't you ever get near my family again! Do you understand me?"

With those words, Zack suddenly became angry. "Damn it Rod, why do you have to be so selfish!"

Rod was taken aback. "Selfish? Me? I am going to the ends of the earth to find a cure for my wife. You're the one who…"

"I know what I did!" shouted Zack, "and I'm so sorry that I did it, okay?! It was the biggest mistake of my life. But I know why you're really going. You're going because you're afraid! You're afraid to see Lilia die in your hands!"

"Shut up Zack!" shouted Rod, "just shut up!"

"It's your nature! I've known it since we were kids! You were never able to let go, you always had to go down fighting!"

"What's wrong with that!"

"Nothing!" shouted Zack as a retort, "there's nothing wrong with that. But, you're leaving your family Rod! When they need you the most! And you won't even let me help them!"

The two of them stared at each other, both wanting to say something, until Rod sat down on the wet pavement.

"Damn it Zack," said Rod.

"Look Rod," said Zack, sitting next to his friend, "you have to do what you have to do. You've always been that way. Lilia knew you were that way when you were married. But now, think about them. If Lilia is sick, how will they get by?"

Rod put his head in his hands.

"They need someone to keep an eye on them," said Zack, "they need someone to help them. I'm not saying I'm perfect. As you can see, I've made mistakes. But, if you know one thing about me Rod, it's that I never go back on my promises, and I promise to give everything to keep your family safe and provided for."

Rod sighed as the rain continued to fall. "You now Zack," said Rod, lifting his head up from his hands, "helping them doesn't mean helping yourself to them."

"I know Rod," said Zack, "I know they're not my family. I won't treat them like my family. But I care about them like my family."

"No Zack," said Rod with a small smile on his face. "You're wrong. They are your family. It's just that you're not the husband."

Zack began to smile as well. "I'm jealous of you, you know?"

Rod nodded his head. "I'm a lucky guy. I have two beautiful and healthy children, a lovely, wonderful, and understanding wife, and the best friend a guy could ask for."

The two men stood up and continued down the road, Rod carrying the heavy backpack and Zack shielding them both with the umbrella.

"Your boat is coming?" asked Zack.

Rod nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright," said Zack, "do what you have to do, and don't come back until you do it."

Rod nodded, smiling. He grabbed Zack's neck and put their forehead's together so that they were looking straight into each other's eyes.

"Zack, my family is your family, just not in the same way."

Zack smiled, the look in his eyes revealing his pure intentions to Rod. "I know. I understand."

Rod smiled at his best friend. Putting his foot into the little boat, he said, "Then you do what you have to do, and don't stop until you do it."

Zack lifted the heavy backpack and put it in the boat next to Rod. "So until you get back."

Rod grinned. "Even after I get back."

Zack meditated on Rod's words as the little boat took off from the Mineral Town dock and off into the rainy night.


	3. 1942

I wanted to submit this chapter around Christmas time, but unfortunately, my mind was other places. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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><p>A line of footprints in the snow crossed the slush covered road toward the docks. It was December, only a few days after Christmas, and a young man walked along the road, his feet slushing through the icy path. Walking down the road that lead to the dock, the young man turned around and looked at the collection of houses that he called home. He took in the sight one last time, watching the light reflect on the gently falling snow. He took a deep breath, letting the fragrance of his hometown fill up his lungs for possibly the last time. Hopes, memories, dreams, and desires filled his mind as fast as the air filled his lungs. Exhaling, he picked up his pack and turned around. He was about to continue walking until the rustling of leaves forced him to stop.<p>

"Did you really think I'd let you leave without saying goodbye?" asked a small voice from the trees behind the young man. Her voice wavered as if she was holding back tears. "Honestly Saibara. You should know me better than that."

The young Saibara sighed. He put his pack on the ground and turned around, a look of guilt on his face. His warm brown hair was covered in a hat and he wore a thick coat over his shoulders. He feared turning around and meeting her eyes, not knowing what they would make him do.

"You know Ellen," Saibara said, hovering over every word, "I only do what I do to protect you."

Ellen scoffed. She wore a warm bonnet over her head and a purple ladies' coat around her shoulders. Her brown hair fell from the hat into her coat. As her large, brown, doe eyes met Saibara's, tears began to form. "Haven't you learned by now that I'm the one who knows best?"

Saibara looked down to the snow covered ground, his dirty footprints separating Ellen from himself. The two young people continued facing each other for an extended period of time, only allowing the gentle sound of snow falling over the village.

The silence continued until it was broken by Ellen. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Saibara shook his head. "I've got nothing to say."

"Well, then why don't you tell me this," said Ellen, the tears gently streaming down her blushed cheeks, "why now? Why are you leaving now?"

Saibara looked up at Ellen, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you know?" scoffed the young man, "there's a war going on."

"I know there's a war going on!" shouted Ellen, "by why are you leaving now? The war started two years ago! Why didn't you leave then?"

Saibara shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

"I don't want to hear that, Saibara!" Ellen shouted, "Give me a reason!" The tears rushed faster and faster down her face. "Please, for once in your life. Give me a reason."

Seeing the tears running down her face, Saibara couldn't help but tear up himself. His own voice began to waver as much as the young lady's. "What do you want me to say? That it's because of you? That I'm leaving because I don't want to be here for your wedding? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Ellen looked up at Saibara, a look of shock stamped on her face. She couldn't believe that the words had fallen out of Saibara's mouth. She knew it though. She wasn't blind to the truth, but there was something about hearing the truth that completely shocked her.

"You mean…" Ellen stuttered, her voice as loud as a mouse's.

"I'm sorry Ellen," said Saibara. "I'm so sorry." He picked up his pack and continued walking toward the dock. As he was about to take his first step, the quiet woods were pierced by a strong shriek.

"Stop!" shouted Ellen as she watched her oldest and dearest friend about to leave her. "Do you think you can just say something like that and leave?"

Saibara turned around. He looked deeply into Ellen's eyes. "Ellen…"

"You're my oldest friend, Saibara. If you don't come back…I don't know what I would do."

"When I come back, you won't even know I'm gone."

Ellen wiped the tears from her eyes, confused at Saibara's words. "What?..."

"When I come back, you'll be a married woman, with all sorts of other responsibilities on your mind. You won't even have time to think of me."

"You idiot!" shouted Ellen, "do you think I don't care about you?!"

Saibara stopped in his tracks. As a cold chill blew past the two of them, Ellen continued to speak.

"It was your decision, Saibara. I didn't ask you to fall in love with me. And…and…It's not fair…that you would take away my best friend."

Saibara continued looking toward the dock. "I'm sorry, Ellen. But let me be selfish, just one last time."

Saibara slowly continued walking toward the seaside, hearing Ellen sobbing softly behind him. Each step fell heavily on the ground. His face grew dark with shame as guilt weighed heavily on his shoulder. The memories that he and Ellen shared at that very spot came back to him, inspiring the tears in his own eyes.

"You're just going to leave without saying goodbye!"

Saibara didn't speak a word, continuing his slow walk toward the docks.

Ellen became flustered. "Fine! If you don't care about me, then leave!"

Tears streamed down her face as she walked off the footprint beaten road over to a snow covered tree. As she was crying, she wiped of the frost that covered the heart carved into the tree. Seeing the marking on the wood, she wrapped her arms around the tree so that the carved heart was pressed against her own.

"Saibara…" she said softly to herself, "What did you want me to do? What did you expect me to do?"

Ellen's spine straightened suddenly in shock as she felt warmth around her. She also felt the grip beginning to tighten around her body and watched as two, glove covered hands covered her own mitten-covered ones.

"I want you to live your life," whispered a young man's voice into her ear. "I want you to live your life never having to ask what I would have wanted you to do."

Ellen's tears continued falling, but at a faster rate. She meditated on Saibara's words, which bothered her to no end.

"Saibara…"

"Marry him, Ellen. Marry him and live your life. Be happy. Be free. Be loved and don't be afraid to love him." As Saibara spoke, the snow began to fall a little harder; filling up the footprints the two young people had left in the road behind them.

"Don't look back, Ellen, just move forward."

Saibara smiled as he felt Ellen quiver in his arms.

"Thank you for letting me be the most important person in your life for all these years, but now, well, now it's time to let someone else fill that role."

Saibara's hand clasped Ellen's hand gently. Pulling her away from the tree, Saibara and Ellen could see the heart, deeply carved into the tree. Saibara smiled and gave a short laugh. Lifting Ellen's hand, the two of them covered the heart with their hands.

"But don't ever think that I don't care about you. We don't have to be in love with each other in order to love each other."

Ellen smiled at their two hands covering the tree. The tears had begun to stop and Ellen turned her head in order to look into Saibara's eyes.

"Saibara…I…"

"Don't say anything, Ellen. Just wish me well."

"I'm going to go to the church every day and pray for you Saibara. I'm going to go every day until you come back to us."

Saibara smiled. "I appreciate it."

Saibara and Ellen took each other's arms and walked together to the dock. As they stood together waiting for the boat to come, the two met eyes. Though young and robust, Ellen could still see the insecure little boy lingering behind his eyes, and vice versa, Saibara could still see the high-strong, independent girl in Ellen's eyes. As the snow continued to fall over their heads, it seemed like an air of childish laughter was sprinkling over their ears as well.

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><p>I'm sorry to say that this might be the last chapter for a while. If you are a fan of this collection of oneshots, then I have to sincerely apologize, but as writers yourself, I'm sure you understand needing time to cultivate your ideas.<p>

See you all soon!


	4. 1996

_Well, it's been over a year since I first published this story. But even though I may have waited a bit to long, I have always wanted to return to this story. I really appreciate all those who take the time to read my work and I hope that the next few drabbles will meet up to your expectations haha._

_This is a frightening time for me as I plan to be finishing college this winter, after which I need to start seriously thinking about my life. This story is for those like me who need to prepare themselves for facing the world. I hope you enjoy._

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><p>1996<p>

"May!" laughed old Barley, following his young granddaughter along the eastern streets of Mineral Town. "Don't run too far out of my sight!"

May laughed in her adorable little way. "Don't worry Grandpa! I've been walking around here ever since I was a kid!"

Barley let out a loud laugh at his young granddaughter's remark. "You're still are a kid! You're only four years old!"

May gave an annoyed look. "C'mon Grandpa."

The trees were budding anew as spring had set in over Mineral Town. Barley had seen many a spring in his past, but there was just something wonderful about being able to walk along this road with May, as he had done with his daughter, Joanna, so many years before. He loved watching the energetic young girl run and play, climbing trees, turning over stones, and, of course, falling down.

Barley gave a loud, long sigh. "Youth is so wasted on the young."

"Hurry up Grandpa! Or else I'm going to win!" May stood along the road waiting for Barley to catch up. "If I make it to the Town Square first, you have to buy me ice cream!"

Barley smiled at the bright innocence in the girl's face. "And what do I get if I win?"

May gave a large smile, showing the gap of a baby tooth. "Don't worry about that. You won't."

Barley raised an eyebrow, surprised at the girl's cheeky comment.

"Well," laughed Barley, "if that's the way you want to play it."

He walked next to the young girl and got in a readied stance.

"Ready," said May, bubbling with excitement.

"Get set."

"Go!" May shouted at the top of her lungs, taking off a little before she said the word.

"No fair!" laughed the old man, chasing his granddaughter, "you're cheating!"

May laughed as she ran as fast as she could, the old man huffing and puffing as he tried to keep up. Sure he was a little out of shape, but what could he do? He was old! Plus, he had just finished work on his farm, which given his advanced age, was bound to take a toll on the old man.

As Barley walked briskly on the road toward the square, he watched the little girl skipping in front of him, laughing to herself in good fun. Before she got to the Square, May stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixated off the road. Taking it to his advantage, Barley continued his brisk pace until he stood at the outer rim of the Town Square.

"I win, May! You shouldn't get distracted next time!" Barley turned around, slowly, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"May? Are you there?" He asked, noticing the silence.

Confused, Barley began to walk back along the road, wondering why the peppy young girl had lost to an old geezer like him. As he walked along the road, he found May still standing in the place where she had stopped earlier, staring intently at a collection of trees. Confused, Barley walked next to her and lowered his head to her level so that he could see what she was looking at.

"What are you looking at, May?" asked Barley.

May walked off the road, stepping on the verdant grass toward a tree. Reaching up she moved her fingers along a carving of a heart that was engraved on a tree. As she traced the heart shape with her finger, she looked intently at the engraving, as if she was trying to read some words within the carving.

"That's been there for years," said Barley. "Actually, it's been there as long as I can remember."

"Mommy said," spoke May as she touched the carving. "Mommy said that she would love me as long as the heart is on this tree."

"Well," said Barley giving his granddaughter a small smile, "she chose a good symbol. That heart's been on that tree as far back as I can remember."

Despite Barley's friendly sentiment, May's face fell slightly, a look of depression drawn on her face. Barley's eyebrows rose in surprise at the sudden change in countenance. His hand jumped from his side to his chin as he began to rub his beard, trying to think of something to say in order to make his granddaughter feel better.

"May?" asked Barley cautiously, "what's the matter sweetheart?"

Tears began to form in the little girl's eyes. The little water droplets slid down her face to her chin. She continued to clutch the tree, not bothering to wipe the irritating tears which were painting her face in its watery coating.

"Grandpa…" began the little girl, her voice barely carrying the words that came from her quivering lips, "Does Mommy not love me anymore?"

"What?" asked Barley, shocked at the sentiments coming from the still small girl. "What are you talking about May!" Barley said gently, "you know your mother loves you with all her heart!"

"Then why did she leave me!" said May, tears forming in her eyes. "Did I do something wrong?"

Tears forced their way into Barley's eyes, running town his face to his beard.

"May…" said Barley trying to hold back the heavy feelings in his heart. "Don't even think that! It was never your fault!"

The little girl bit her lip as she hid her trembling face into her red hands. "Then why doesn't anybody want me?" May squeaked. "Mommy said that Daddy was a bad man. That he left because…well…because he was a bad man. Then…then she said she wouldn't leave because she wasn't bad like Daddy…"

May's tears began to flow through the cracks in her fingers, the water droplets falling onto the dry earth below her. The darkening puddle grew richer in her tears as the air over the grandfather-granddaughter pair grew thick with heavy emotions.

"But…" May continued to cry, "Mommy did leave…"

Barley could not help but cry as well. His heart grew heavy with the sentiments coming out of the mouth of such a young and innocent girl. Well, perhaps innocent isn't the best word. May was still innocent in many regards, but her parents had ripped away that inherent trust that children have for their caregivers.

"May…" said Barley trying to be comforting, "it's not your fault. That had nothing to do with you…"

"But why Grandpa! Why did they leave me!?" May yelled as she cried into her hands. "Don't they love me? Is there something wrong with me?"

May's eyes widened as she suddenly found herself wrapped in her Grandfather's arms. Barley's tears fell on May's shoulder, making her dress a little damp.

"Don't you ever think like that, May. Don't you ever think like that."

May didn't know how to respond as her grandfather sobbed on her. It actually made her feel better since she could feel the empathy coming from the old man.

"Grandpa…Why did they leave me?"

Barley looked down sadly at May. "They made a mistake. They acted like kids when they should have been adults…"

* * *

><p>1994<p>

A young woman walked down the dark road swiftly, doing her best to lift the heavy suitcase in her hand. Rushing through the dark rural road, she pursued the way toward the dock where she had called a boat. Walking by the dark trees which had seemed to exist since the beginning of time, her feet tapped against the cobblestone street, paved after the long years of simply being a dirt road.

By all accounts, she was lovely. Her long brown hair was tied up and her face, while growing a little more full, was still striking, with her best features exemplified by the makeup she used. She dragged her suitcase with her as she made her way down the road, doing her best to reach the dock before anyone found her.

"And what do you think you're doing, young lady?" asked a husky voice that boomed down the quiet road.

The woman stopped in her tracks, surprise and guilt emanating from her face. She pretended not to know, but she knew who it was.

"Well, Joanna?" asked the voice again, "aren't you going to explain yourself?"

Joanna, the woman, took a deep breath and turned around to find Barley staring angrily at her. Seeing the old man's face Joanna pouted and tried to avoid eye contact with her father's sharp eyes which seemed to press up against his spectacles.

"Honestly Joanna," said Barley, "I thought for sure that I had raised you better than that." His voice sounded tired. The sound oozed with the annoyance, anger, and hurt that was manifesting in the old man's heart. Sure there were times that Joanna had seemed trapped by the confines of the village, but he had never expected her to run away in the middle of the night. He was sure he and his wife had raised their only daughter to know better.

Joanna shook her head as she picked up her suitcase again. "I have to go Dad," she said silently, "I can't stay here anymore."

Silence engulfed the late autumn night that were surrounding the father-daughter pair. Neither of them really knew what to say. This was not an encounter that either had hoped, let alone expected, would ever happen. As the silence continued, the sounds of small animals began to fill the environment around them which was eventually joined by Barley's disappointed sighs.

"Joanna…" said Barley softly, "go back home…we will talk about this in the morning."

"No Dad," Joanna said firmly. "I'm leaving. I cannot handle it here."

"Joanna…" Barley said again, holding back the building storm that was building inside of him. "I'm not going to say it again…It's late. We have work to do tomorrow. Listen to you Father and go back to bed."

"NO!" shouted Joanna as she turned her back on the old man. "I can't stay here anymore!"

"JOANNA!" shouted Barley as he caught up with the young woman, grabbed her by the shoulder, and turned her around so that they faced each other. They looked at each other's eyes and found that tears were forming in both of their faces.

"What in the world do you think you're doing!" yelled Barley, "leaving in the middle of the night! Not even giving May an explanation as to why you're leaving! What would your mother say?"

"Dad!" Joanna yelled back, "You don't understand! I can't take it! This little girl! This life here! Everything! I can't do it!"

"What are you blabbering about!" replied Barley, "when I brought your mother here after the war, she managed to…"

"Shut up Dad!" shouted Joanna, "I'm not Mom, okay! I'm not like her! I can't raise a child by myself! I'm not ready for this! I'm still young! I have to enjoy life!"

"Joanna!" Barley said, disgusted by his daughter's reasoning, "What kind of talk is that? Do you even know how young your mother was when…"

"Dad!" shouted Joanna exasperatedly. "Are you even listening to me? I'm not Mom! I'm not great like her! I know the story! I know that she was a war bride who left everything behind! I know that she had to work on the farm and raise me for ten years until you came back from working in the city. I know that she sacrificed everything for this family. I get it!"

Joanna gasped for breath as she shook her head. "But that's the thing. I'm not her. I'm not a superwoman. I am just a human being! And this time…I don't have the luxury of knowing that my husband will come back."

Barley blinked as he saw his daughter move away and sit down on the curb of the road. She put her head in her hand and shook her head. Many emotions flashed through Barley's eyes. A thought of his now deceased wife flashed in his brain and remembering the face of that strong woman made Barley sympathetic to his daughter. Then, a memory of Joanna as a child came into his mind, and seeing the face of the young girl who had grown into this woman, Barley began to remember how important Joanna's happiness was to him. However, the memory of Joanna as a child began to shift, and soon the youthful image of a toddler Joanna was replaced with the image of May running around the farm. As the image of his granddaughter filled Barley's brain, his declining anger emerged again.

"You know what…" said Barley, "you really are a stupid girl. Do you really think that your mother was some sort of superwoman? She was a normal woman just like you. She did extraordinary things because it was required of her and because she believed it was the right thing to do. The fact that you're failing to do the same just shows that you're a child running away from your problems."

Joanna pulled her head out of her hands. Her brow was furrowed and she looked angrily away from her father.

"Fuck off Dad. This is the first time I've finally decided to do something for myself."

"If you truly believed that," said Barley, "you wouldn't have brought back that loser from college."

"Look Dad, I know this makes our family look bad, but…"

"Do you think I care about what this town thinks about us!" shouted Barley, "this isn't about something stupid like reputation! This is about your daughter!"

Joanna stood still for a while. "Dad…"

"Joanna!" shouted Barley, "ever since you had your daughter, you were not just yourself anymore! You cannot just think about you! You have to think about her too! Do you think I wanted to stay in the city those ten long years? Do you think your mother wanted to stay out here alone on the farm for all that time? Raising you alone until I earned enough to come back?"

Barley grabbed his daughter's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "No! We did it because it was required of us! We did it because it would be best for you! We did it because sometimes the easy way isn't always the right way! We did it because your mother and I weren't children anymore. We did it because we are adults. This is what adults do, give up what they want for the sake of someone else."

Barley let go of his daughter's shoulders. "And until you do that, you're just a child."

Joanna's face, which had been mesmerized in awe from her father's short speech was again ruffled in anger at her father's last line.

"You know Dad," said Joanna, "the things you say would have a lot more impact…if you would stop treating me like a child!"

Barley scoffed and turned his back. "I'll treat you like a child until you stop acting like one!"

"You know what Dad!" shouted Joanna, "You say that I should act like an adult, but you act like you think I can't!"

Barley, at a loss for words, did not say anything.

"You always say to be an adult, but you know what, I don't think you're an adult either! All you do is call me names and yell at me until I do what you want! Maybe you have good reasons, but that doesn't change the fact that you still think I'm a child! And until I can get the respect I deserve, I can't stay here."

Barley turned his head angrily. "Respect! You think you can get respect by demanding it! Let me tell you something missy, respect is something you earn, not something you deserve!"

"Well you know what Dad," said Joanna as she grabbed her suitcase, "you don't deserve it either."

Joanna continued walking down the dark road toward the dock leaving an angry Barley alone with his thoughts. In that autumn night, Barley cried. He cried for his wife as he realized that he had failed doing their best to raise Joanna right. He cried for Joanna as he knew that his daughter was lost and did not know the right path to take. He cried for May, who would grow up knowing her mother had left her. Finally, he cried for himself. He cried as he realized that he had failed, and that the reason he had failed was because he had not spoken the right way. Joanna was right, what respect did Barley deserve. All he had done was shout like a child for her daughter to follow his way, and all he had to show for it was an angry woman who was now leaving the village.

* * *

><p>"Sometimes…" said Barley to May who was still crying in the old man's arms, "adults can be a little childish. They only think about themselves without thinking about the things that are really important."<p>

May looked up at her grandfather's face. "You mean…" said May, "some adults never grow up?"

"Exactly!" said Barley, as he cuddled May close to his body. "But, we have to have faith, because time and tide wait for no man and someday, even they will be forced to grow up."

May sighed as she heard her grandfather's heart beating against her ear. "Why can't Mommy be as grown up as you Grandpa?"

Barley blinked, shocked at what May had said. He looked over the few feet away where he had spoken with Joanna before she left. As he saw the curb where Joanna sat and the spot where he had stood, the memories of that night returned to his head, and upon remembering, Barley's head hung low.

"Oh May…" said Barley, "growing up is something that we all have to work on. Even me."

May blinked. She didn't really understand what her grandfather was trying to say, but honestly, she wasn't even really looking for any answers like that. With those words, May looked up into her grandfathers eyes and gave a soft smile.

"Well," said the little girl, "I don't really like to work on stuff. But if we work together…well…maybe it'll be alright."

A large grin appeared on Barley's face. He knew that May didn't realize the deep thoughts that she had just shared, but it still filled his heart with admiration.

"You are an amazing girl May."

May looked at her grandfather with a soft smile which had slowly begun to transform into a grin. With that she let go of her grandfather and wiped off the dust from her knees.

"Well Grandpa…" said May, "let's go to town."

The little girl gave a large smile showing a gap in her teeth. Her eyes were still red from the tears and were puffy. The sadness and loneliness were still apparent in her face, but through some sort of extraordinary strength far ahead of her time, May continued to smile.

"Besides," the little girl tried to laugh as hard as she could, "you won, so I owe you ice cream."

Barley could not help but smile at the little girl's words. Standing up from his crouched position, Barley took May's hand. Together, the two of them walked back the road toward the town, breathing in the new spring air.

"I'll treat you this time," Barley smiled as he tried his best to fight back the tears.

* * *

><p><em>Well, I must admit, it's really good to be back. I hope you enjoyed this story and I hope to get another chapter produced soon. <em>


	5. 1997

Hey everyone! It's almost Christmas and...well...this chapter isn't really Christmas-y. I'm a little worried about this chapter because, well, it may be kind of upsetting for supporters of a certain couple. I want to begin with a disclaimer. I love all the characters in Harvest Moon and I don't mean to bash any of the characters. This project is done to study certain relationships and this is one that I was curious to explore. I apologize in advance if you feel upset with the way certain characters are displayed in this chapter.

* * *

><p>1997<p>

The couple giggled as they walked down the dark road toward the dock. The street clicked as their feet bounced off of the cobblestone. Looking before them, they could only see their own little world lighted by the yellow halo of the few streetlights that lined the way. It was a warm summer night, however, the chill of the sea breeze floated down through the trees, keeping the both of them cool as they pressed up against each other.

The young lady laughed as she pressed up against the man. Her skin was light and delicate, much like porcelain and on her face was painted her ever-present, happy exterior. Her light hair covered her innocent face and she moved the loose strings away from her large doe eyes and her red lips.

"You always have such interesting stories, Kai!" the girl smiled. "Sometimes I wonder which are true and which are not."

The man chuckled as he pulled the girl closer into his body. "Well, they're all true! You know you can believe me!"

"Can I?" laughed the girl as she pulled herself into Kai.

The lovers spun around, laughing as they saw the definitive features of each other's faces beneath the yellow light of the street lamp. Kai wrapped his strong, tan arms around the petite girl, at the same time nuzzling her soft hair beneath his chin.

"Kai?" said Popuri in a soft voice, almost a whisper.

Kai looked down on his girlfriend, his purple bandana keeping his long hair out of his eyes. He gave a little smirk and rubbed his head against Popuri's.

"What is it, love?" he asked in his rich voice.

Popuri trembled at Kai's voice. Of his many attractive attributes, his silky, strong voice was one of his greatest assets. She remembered when he would speak gently to her or sing to her. It made her feel as if she was on a cloud.

"Do you…do you love me?"

Kai tensed up for a while, his chin freezing over Popuri's head. The sudden stillness shook Popuri's confidence; however, deep within her, there was still a glimmer of hope that he would say the words that she wanted him to say.

Her heart began to beat frantically. The milliseconds that passed seem to be hours until she heard a small giggle vibrate off of Kai's body. Popuri, recovering from her fit of apprehension, suddenly became filled with annoyance at the fact of Kai's laugh.

"And what are you laughing at!?" exclaimed Popuri, quite annoyed at Kai's apparent heartlessness.

Kai looked into Popuri's eyes with a smile. When Popuri looked into his eyes, she couldn't help but lose touch with the rest of the world. The calmness that emanated from the young man was piercing, grabbing at every fabric of Popuri's character.

Kai gave a small grin at the flustered young woman. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude. I was just laughing because…well…it sounds like you're playing games."

Popuri was greatly surprised by Kai's words. "What do you mean by playing games?"

Kai gave a small smile. "Well…you already know that I love you."

Popuri was silent. She suddenly jumped on Kai and wrapped her arms around him. As she jumped into his chest, she felt his arms surrounding her at the same time. "A girl likes to hear it every once in a while."

Kai smiled as he felt the girl in his arms. "Well then…" whispered Kai gently into Popuri's ear. He pushed her out and looked into her eyes, giving his trademark smile which drew in so many customers to his Seaside Shack. "Then I will say it until you are completely convinced. I love you."

Silence fell as Popuri's face began to burn a hot red. Her heart was heavy with joy. Kai was the first man to ever declare his love for her, and now, experiencing what she had always seen on the TV drama or heard about from Mary's favorite novels was finally coming true in her own life.

"You know Kai...my mother told me that those words shouldn't be taken lightly. They are very important."

"I know," said Kai with a smile.

"Then you should only say it when you mean it."

Kai smiled at the young woman who seemed to be blushing furiously. He gave a gentle sigh and walked up behind the girl.

"Popuri?" Kai asked, incredibly softly.

"Yes?" was the girl's trembling answer.

"I love you."

Popuri blushed an incredibly dark shade of red. Here were those words again, promised in novels and songs, and now, at long last, she was the subject of someone's love and affection. As she searched herself, she knew that she felt the same way for him as he did for her.

"I love you too…"

The couple kissed gently underneath the summer moon. The world seemed to become slower for them and as they kissed, Popuri could almost feel the earth move.

"Hey Popuri," whispered Kai after they had finished kissing. "It's pretty late. Maybe you should just stay at the Shack tonight."

Popuri gave a small giggle. "Really Kai, do you expect me to be so easy?"

Kai gave a loud laugh. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

Popuri continued to giggle. "Well, Mr. Kai," said Popuri backing away and sticking her tongue out playfully. "I don't know what kind of a girl you think I am, but my mother told me to never go home with strange men."

Kai continued to chuckle and shook his head. "Well then, if I see some strange men, I'll send you a warning."

Popuri gave an audible laugh and began to calm down. "But seriously Kai, it is getting quite late and I promised my mother I would have some tea with her before bed."

"Aw c'mon," said Kai with a sigh of playful annoyance, "aren't you old enough to make your own decisions?"

Popuri gave a goofy look and put her pointer finger on her chin while looking up, signifying an image of pondering. "Yes, and I want to be with my Mommy."

Kai rolled his eyes and gave a chuckle. "Well, don't let me keep you."

Popuri smiled back at her summertime boyfriend and put her arms around him. "Thank you Kai. I will see you tomorrow, right?"

Kai gave a smile at the feeling of Popuri's head on his chest and nodded. "Of course you will."

"Great!" exclaimed Popuri as she stole a quick kiss from Kai. If that's the case, I'll see you tomorrow!

Kai smiled. He tried to hold on to Popuri's hand a bit longer, but let go when she felt Popuri pulling away. "Good night, love!"

"Good night!" Kai heard echo down the road as he heard the footsteps of the girl running down the cobblestone in the direction of her family farm.

Kai smiled at the direction that Popuri ran toward until she finally took a right and was out of sight. The area of the road with trees on both sides fell into a period of silence. At least it did for a short while. Suddenly, Kai broke the silence, seemingly speaking into the air.

"What do you think Chicken Boy? Any doubts?"

There was a rustling in the leaves as a young man with blonde hair, a white headband, in a green shirt and overalls walked onto the road. The two men stood in the quiet, Kai looking in the direction Popuri left and the other man staring at Kai while the silence suddenly returned. The young man didn't say a word. He only stared deeper and deeper into the back of Kai's head. Finally, Kai turned his head to the other man and gave a smirk.

Upon gazing at the condescending look on Kai's face, the other man pushed up his glasses and narrowed his eyes.

"Looks can be deceiving," was all the other man said.

Kai gave a loud laugh. "'Looks can be deceiving!' Were we watching the same thing, Rick? Your sister is absolutely in love with me!"

Rick shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I know she's in love with you." Rick walked in front of Kai. The two young men gazed into each other's eyes. Kai's eyes were filled with a sense of playfulness and condescension. Rick's, on the other hand, were full of hate and concern.

"The question is: Are you in love with her?"

Kai gave a laugh and rolled his eyes. "You deaf? You heard me didn't you?"

"I heard you say a lot of words," said Rick, "I'm just not sold that they had any meaning behind them."

"Oh, what's the matter?" laughed Kai with a mocking tone. "Weren't you raised to never speak those words lightly?"

Rick was filled with anger. The heavy sense of mockery that oozed from Kai's voice only pushed him further and further to his breaking point.

"I was," said Rick, a hint of hate in his eye, "but I'm not sure if you were."

"I don't have to take this," said Kai, putting his hands in his pockets and turning toward the Seaside Shack. "I'm calling it a night."

As Kai began to walk away, Rick suddenly burst.

"I heard about the girl!" exclaimed Rick as Kai began to walk away.

Kai stopped in his tracks and turned around, raising an eyebrow. "What girl?"

Rick stared at Kai, now sensing a hint of interest in the drifter's eyes. "The girl in Forget-Me-Not Valley."

Kai turned around and faced Rick. "And what, pray tell, did you hear?"

"I heard what you did to her. That you…you…played with her. And when the time came to take responsibility…you ran away."

Kai gave a loud laugh. "Rumors…can you really believe…."

"I heard it from Muffy herself."

Kai turned around and gave Rick a death glare. "That bitch!"

"So it is true!" yelled Rick.

Realizing that he had lost his calm and cool composure, Kai suddenly straightened himself out. "Look, that was a long time ago…"

"It was last year," said Rick, "I know. I went to Forget-Me-Not Valley on business. They're still talking about what you did."

Kai turned away. "Whatever man. Say whatever you like. No one will believe you."

"How could you do that!" shouted Rick. "How could you just play with a girl and leave her alone to suffer the consequences!"

When Kai didn't answer, Rick shouted again. "Answer me!"

"Ha," said Kai, "well, you heard the rumor wrong. I didn't shirk no responsibilities. I took care of the problems head on."

"By making her give up the child!" shouted Rick, oozing with anger. "You call that problem-solving! All it proves is that the only person you care about is you and the only thing you care about is your fun! You know I talked to her, and you know what? She wanted the child! But you had to force her to give it up! What kind of monster are you!"

Kai rolled his eyes. "You know Rick," said Kai, "you play Mister High-and-Mighty, but you know that you're just jealous."

"What!?" exclaimed Rick in a shocked tone. "What are you talking about?"

"Next time you get some time to yourself," said Kai, "looking down your pants, sift through the wheat fields, and you find that pitiful thing hiding in there, you'll know how much you wish you could be in my shoes."

Rick gritted his teeth, disturbed by the crude reference. "You're disgusting."

"Oh, and you're not?" said Kai, "you've never fantasized about roaming the seas. Going from place to place. Making a few bucks. Chasing a few skirts. Damn man, it's the dream."

"Some of us have different dreams," said Rick.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Who are you trying to impress?" laughed Kai as he turned toward the coast and his Seaside Shack.

As Kai walked away some more, Rick gave another shout.

"Kai! One last thing."

With that Kai turned his head over his shoulder.

"Stay away from my sister. You know she's a good girl. She really thinks you love her. She's young and impressionable. She doesn't deserve this kind of relationship as her first."

"Young and impressionable?" laughed Kai, "but those are the best kind."

Rage built up within Rick as he heard Kai speak those words.

"What did you say!?" screamed Rick as he ran up toward Kai. "How dare you say that about my sister!? Don't you dare play with her! You listen here…!"

Rick raised a fist and prepared to use it to smack Kai into the new millennium, however as Rick threw his punch, Kai hit Rick's arm out of the way.

"No!" shouted Kai, "you listen! She's not your kid sister anymore. You can't go around playing hero big brother to protect her. Now, she's mine."

With that Kai gave a strong punch at Rick's face and another punch to Rick's gut, forcing Rick to the ground. With Rick on his hands and knees Kai gave Rick a kick to his cheek.

"And you know what," said Kai, "you can't stop me. Popuri is mine, and I'm going to play with her until I get bored. And then, I'll probably jump on to the next thing."

Kai gave Rick another kick to the face. "So if that slut Karen you run with ever wants to find out what it's like to be with a real man, send her down to the Shack."

Rick became even angrier and tried to stand up to return the physical abuse being dealt upon him. However, as he tried to get up, Kai gave another strong kick to his face, forcing Rick to the ground.

"Damn it!" shouted Rick with tears in his eyes as he could not bring himself off the ground. He looked up to see Kai walking back to the Seaside Shack laughing loudly into the summer night. As Kai walked away, more tears began to stream down Rick's face into the road below his chin.

"…I'm sorry Popuri…I'm so sorry…"

* * *

><p>1980<p>

A seven year old Popuri grabbed onto the tree, tears streaming down her face. As she cried, her nine year old brother walked up behind her.

"What's the matter Pope?" asked the young Rick, trying to comfort the crying girl.

"Today in school," cried Popuri, "all the other kids were talking about how strong their daddies were and how they would protect them if someone tried to hurt them…but then they said…'Oh! Who will protect Popuri since her Daddy ran away!"

Rick became angry. "What! Who said that? I'll beat them up!"

Popuri shook her head furiously. "No, no, don't!"

Rick, seeing that his sister was upset, wrapped his arms around her.

"Rick, why did Daddy leave?"

Rick frowned. In all honestly, he didn't know. He didn't know why his father left. He didn't know why he was one of the few kids in town without a father. He didn't know why adults acted the way they did. However, he did realize one thing. He needed to comfort his sister.

"Daddy went on a trip to do something important. He did it to…to…to protect our family."

Popuri looked up at Rick, a hint that the tears may leave her eyes. "Re…really?"

"Yeah!" said Rick, "he's out there in the world protecting us from all the dangers out there!"

Popuri smiled at the thought of her father like a superhero. However, she suddenly frowned and looked up at her brother. "But if Daddy will protect us from people over there, who will protect us from people over here?"

Rick was lost for words for a moment. However, he finally gave a small smile and put his chin up in the air. "I will!" said Rick, "I will protect us!"

Popuri grinned but was suddenly confused, "well, who will protect you?"

Rick looked up for a second and said, "You will!"

Popuri smiled and cheered. "We will protect each other!

Rick laughed and was calmed at the sight of Popuri's smiling face. "We will protect each other and Mom!"

"And from Mom!" laughed Popuri, "sometimes!"

The siblings laughed as they stood next to each other on the wooded road.

"So I will protect you when you get angry," laughed Popuri, "and I will also protect you when Karen gets angry."

"And I…" laughed Rick, "will protect you from vampires…and werewolves…and…were-chickens and…and bad men!"

The two siblings laughed again and looked at each other.

"Do you promise?" asked Popuri.

"Of course I do!" laughed Rick.

"Then prove it!" responded Popuri.

With those words, Popuri put her hand on a tree covering a carved heart that had been etched into the tree for as long as they could remember. Rick, seeing her hand on the tree, smiled and put her hand over her's.

"I promise Popuri," smiled Rick, "I promise."

* * *

><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's pretty different from the other chapters and I don't know how this one fits with the others. That being said and done I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope you build happy stories by the Tree in your own community.<p> 


	6. 1998

_Hey everyone! Happy New Year! Here I am back with a new story for The Tree. I guess these past three stories have been a little bit close to each other as they cover three subsequent years since, in the events of my own mind, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town takes place in the late 1990s. Anyway, this is problematic because if I continue doing this, everything is going to start to clump together in the 1990s. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

><p>1998<p>

The young pastor sighed as he strolled down the quiet road. The trees had formed an autumn canopy above his head with some of the foliage having already fallen below his feet. The soft winds tossed the leaves around the road, building up into small piles on the side of the pavement bordering the grass and wood.

The pastor straightened his back, making the sounds of audible cracks as the air escaped from his joints. His face gleamed with happy warmth as he observed the beautiful, natural decoration of the autumn season. However, there was still a glisten of sadness in recesses of his face, knowing that the beauty was momentary and soon, the leaves would fall off the trees, leaving only the skeletal images of the vegetation. Despite the duality of the season, he continued to smile.

"I suppose we must be thankful for the beauty we have. Besides, we would not appreciate this if it did not eventually go away." The pastor laughed to himself and continued to walk along the road "giveth and taketh away."

As he continued down the road, a leaf had fallen on his shoulder. Seeing it, he gently brushed the leaf off his dark shirt and the white shawl that he wore around his neck. He truly loved the season. It was nature's last chance to show off her glorious beauty before the winter months set in. However, while he also found winter in Mineral Town beautiful, he couldn't help but appreciate the fall even more. The season was the most revealing, after all.

He remembered back when he first came to Mineral Town. It was also an autumn day and he, a newcomer, was taken aback by the lovely little road than ran down the eastern part of the town. In his travels, he had seen a multiplicity of beautiful roads; however, he was always able to find the beauty of each one. Living in this way always gave him a continual sense of happiness.

Back then he remembered the congregation. While the village was rather traditional, the villagers were not known as the most devoted churchgoers. That was, however, except for the children of the village, old Barley, who usually spent his time confessing and begging for forgiveness, and Ellen, who was said to have been coming to the church regularly since the middle of the war. The rest of the villagers were always busy working in their businesses, however, occasionally, the women would come, sometimes with husbands and young adults dragged behind them.

The pastor couldn't help but smile. He loved his congregants, and the people of the village had welcomed him with open arms as part of the community. He loved all the people that had welcomed him and for that reason, he decided to do his part to contribute to the community around him. By doing his part to tend to the souls of his congregants, he believed he would do his part and find his place in the village.

As he continued down the road, he looked up to see a sad looking man, dressed in a wild man style. He carried a large back behind his back. His hair was long, brown, and unkempt, tied into a pony tail on his back. His eyes remained on the ground as if he was brooding over a great sadness that had come upon his chest.

The pastor raised an eyebrow as he was sure he had never seen the man before. As someone who devoted all of his time to get to know everyone in the village on a personal level, he found it upon himself to greet the newcomer. At least, before Mayor Thomas did. The pastor was disturbed by the look in the wanderer's eyes. While he saw the occasional sadness once in a while at the confessional booth, he had never seen such a despondent look on an individual's eyes before. He stood still for a second, frozen, wondering what would be his next move. Finally, after building up enough courage, he walked up to the man.

"Hello sir!" smiled the pastor as he walked up to the newcomer. "My name is Carter, the local parishioner in these parts, and who might you be?"

The other man jumped with surprise at the pastor's first words. The looks of sadness was ever present on the man's eyes, however, he did his best to be pleasant, especially before a man of the cloth.

"Uh…hello. Name's Cliff. I'm just passing through…"

As the two men spoke, Carter had come to a complete stop, obliging Cliff to do the same. Now, the two men were facing each other on the quiet road. Carter continued to exude his happy exterior while Cliff continued to do his best to be pleasant.

Although the Pastor did his best to exude friendliness in his welcome, he didn't know what to make of the man. He was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say next. "Are you going on a trip?" asked the Pastor with a curious look.

Cliff was at a loss for words. "No, uh, I mean yeah, I'm heading over to the next town…"

"Oh…" said the Pastor, "well, that would be Forget-Me-Not Valley, but there really isn't much to see there…"

"Oh, but that's where I'm headed…" said Cliff quickly. "In fact, I better get on my way."

Feeling awkward Carter sidestepped out of Cliff's way, however, as Cliff began to pick up speed, his bag opened and something fell out.

As Cliff heard the loud thud, both men looked over at the thing that had fallen to the ground only to find that it was a military issue pistol lying plain as day on the cobblestone road.

There was dead silence between the men as Carter stared at the weapon lying on the road. The initial shock of seeing the gun caught Carter by surprise. Mineral Town was a rural village, and firearms were not an unusual sight, however, no one usually carried a gun with them unless they went off into the wooded area to the south and west of the town. Seeing a gun being carried along the road caught Carter off guard and he was unsure about the man's intention. He considered the man's exterior, his countenance, the look in his eye, and Carter began to get suspicious, even scared, however, as he calmed himself down, a few things began to connect in the young pastor's brain.

There were many senses that filled Carter at that moment, but he didn't know the proper reaction to the situation. Would it be anger? Fear? Disgust? Carter did his best to think rationally, and as he continued to think quickly an idea suddenly appeared in his brain. It was obvious, the sad look on Cliff's face, the young man's mannerisms, the weakness in his tone of voice.

"You're a soldier…aren't you," asked Carter, finally breaking the silence.

Cliff looked up at the pastor with surprise, shocked that Carter had said something.

"W-what?" asked Cliff.

"You were in the Persian Gulf…"

"Look…" said Cliff trying to get away, "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I need to…"

Cliff suddenly grasped his head as a visible, look of pain over his body. As Cliff winced in pain, Carter suddenly moved over to the younger man and helped him to have a seat on the ground.

"Whoa there buddy,' said Carter, helping the young man sit down, "Just relax. Don't worry, we have a doctor in this town."

"Look, just leave me a-AAAHHH!" exclaimed Cliff as he finally took a seat, leaning back on a tree by the side of the road. The feeling of the grassy ground was somewhat relaxing for the young man and the support of the tree provided much needed stability.

"Medicine…" said Cliff, still in pain. "Medicine…in my bag."

With that, Carter immediately went over to the bag and took out a pill bottle and brought it to the man. There was also a bottle of water on the bag that Carter brought along as well. With that, he quickly took a pill and put it into Cliff's throat and then poured some water into Cliff's mouth as well. After rubbing Cliff's throat, the wanderer finally swallowed and began to rest on the tree while the pastor sat next to him. As they sat for a while Cliff began to calm down, taking in a few breaths as silence penetrated the environment between the two men.

The silence was piercing. As Carter sat next to the young man, he did not know what he could possibly say to make the man feel better. He had very little experience with veterans, save Barley and Saibara, however, those two men, despite the occasional depression, had successfully adjusted back to rural life. Carter didn't know much about this man. He didn't know who he was, what he experienced, what was going on in his life. However, Carter did know one thing. He knew that this man was sick.

"Gulf War syndrome…" said Carter softly.

"Yeah…" replied Cliff.

"How long has this been a problem?"

"Since I got discharged in '91."

The two of them became silent again as Carter was afraid to penetrate too deep into Cliff's story, however, after the experience the two of them had just undergone, he somehow felt closer to Cliff. Before long, to Carter's surprise, Cliff broke the silence.

"We didn't lose too many in the Gulf…We consider it a victory…"

Carter looked at Cliff. "But that doesn't mean that…"

"But…why do I feel we lost so much…" said Cliff as he broke down into tears.

Cliff cried as Carter watched helplessly, unsure of how to proceed. Carter was caught off-guard, unsure of what to do with this young and strong man who was beginning to break down in front of him. He wanted to embrace him as he often did with the crying women and children that he often had to console, however, seeing a man cry was an unusual sight for the young pastor, leaving him at a loss of words. He figured he would let Cliff cry until he felt comfortable to keep talking.

"There were so few men killed…" said Cliff, "why did he have to be one of them…?"

Carter closed his eyes in sadness. He could pretty much deduce the story.

"…What happened Cliff…?"

Cliff stopped crying and looked out on the ground. "Why should I tell you?"

Carter took a sigh. "Well…by sharing our issues we…"

"…we begin to heal, blah blah," responded Cliff, "I've heard it all before. Look. I've seen people like you. Counselors, therapists, pastors, priets…I even went to see some Buddhist monks."

Cliff turned away from the pastor. "And you know what. It's all the same. All the same thing. 'Open up and accept forgiveness and everything will be better…' well you know what. It doesn't work. Every time I try to heal by letting some Spirit in or doing good to others, all it does is leave me unsatisfied…"

Carter pursed his lips and looked at the man. "Then don't tell me as a pastor," he said, "tell me as a friend."

Cliff froze up at Carter's words. A friend? Was that what Carter was offering? He looked over at the pastor who gave him a friendly smile.

Cliff shook his head. "No…I can't…all my friends…my friend…"

Carter put his hand on Cliff's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere. And if you want, I promise I won't even say anything."

Cliff looked down on his lap. Could he tell this man? He had just met him. But he was a man of the cloth and despite the inefficacious advice they had given him in the past, Cliff still had a lot of respect for them. Plus, this man had just helped him by giving him the medicine he needed.

"If I tell you…you promise you won't throw me under the bus, right?"

Carter smiled. "I have confessionals. It is my duty not to tell."

Cliff took a deep breath. "Okay then, I will tell you. During the war, I had this buddy. We were in the same squad carrying out some reconnaissance missions in Iraq. During a mission in this little village…"

Cliff took a deep breath, sighing again, tears beginning to formulate in his eyes.

"It was a loyalist village and…"

Cliff broke down crying again while Carter patted his back.

"I was so angry…" said Cliff, his hands over his eyes. "They took him away. He was a good man. He had people who loved him back home…a baby daughter waiting for him…"

Carter rubbed Cliff's back. "There was nothing you could do…"

"No…" said Cliff as he cried even harder, "I did…I did do something…"

Carter sat still for a moment, waiting to hear more of Cliff's story.

"When we told them that it was a loyalist village…they decided to take another way, and they turned their focus away from that region…So…the night before we went on to Baghdad, I…"

Carter bit his lip, realizing what Cliff was going to say.

"I have dreams…" said Cliff, "and I still hear their screams…their cries…their words…the Arabic word for 'why?' repeated over and over again…"

As Cliff spoke he continued wiping the tears from his eyes. "And I can see my buddy…hear him talking to me…hear him crying because…because he knows that what I did was…evil…"

"And…I can't stay in one place…I just can't do it. Every time I stay in a village…I just imagine that I…"

Cliff continued to cry into his hands while Carter kept his hand on Cliff's shoulder.

"…I've…I've wanted to know…what I could do to stop this horrible feeling I carry inside me. This darkness…I need to get rid of it…Tell me! Please tell me! What should I do! What does God want from me?!"

Carter sat dumbfounded as looked at Cliff. He had no idea how to answer him and looked down at the ground below.

"Well…"

"Please!" exclaimed Cliff, "please don't give me the same old monologue! Don't tell me to let go! I know I have to let go, but how! How can I just let go of this part of my life? How can I just separate myself from it!? I can't do it! I can't! I'm…I'm…"

"Scared?" asked Carter gently as he looked into Cliff's face.

Cliff was shocked as he heard Carter say the words. "What?" said Cliff.

"Scared," said Carter, "scared that if you get rid of the darkness, the anger, the fear, the hate that…that there will be nothing left within you."

"Are you saying…that…I'm holding on to these bad emotions because…I want them?!" said Cliff, his anger rising.

"No, not at all," said Carter, still staring deep into Cliff's face, "not because you want them, because, you can't imagine your life without them. You know that what you did was wrong and the idea of being happy after something like that is…unthinkable for you."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" shouted Cliff, "I am not holding on to this darkness because I need it to confirm my…my…"

"Cliff," said Carter, attempting to relax Cliff's anger, "we all want to justify our existence in the world…we want to justify our every feeling toward the world. We want to be happy in times of happiness. We want to be sad in times of sadness. We want to be connected with the world around us. But after what you did, you don't feel like you deserve to be happy. You never let yourself settle down because you don't feel you deserve to."

Cliff stared in disbelief, but as Carter spoke the words began to hit closer to home.

"So…" began Cliff, "what do I have to do?"

Carter looked away for a moment. "You must replace the things in your heart. You must replace anger with compassion, fear with trust…hate with love."

As the words began to sound familiar, Cliff cringed. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"By…letting go…"

"And here we have it!" exclaimed Cliff, "same old story!"

"Cliff!" said Carter with a stern voice, "listen to me!"

Cliff was surprised as the pastor suddenly spoke with a much gruffer voice.

"The others that you spoke to, they weren't wrong, they just didn't reveal it to you properly. Cliff, you want something instantaneous, but that is something you can't have. It is a process. You cannot just expect to replace the darkness inside of you with a snap of a finger! You must take time to settle, to grow. By living in a community, you will build compassion, from compassion, trust, and from trust, you may be ready to love."

Cliff shook his head and turned away from Carter. "That's not something that I can do…"

"Why not?" Carter asked as Cliff walked toward his backpack. "Why can't you?"

"Because I…" said Cliff as he stood in the road. "Because I don't deserve it…"

Carter stood up and put a hand on Cliff's shoulder. "You know what Cliff," said the pastor as he turned the young man toward him, "no one deserves anything."

Cliff's eyes widened at the sentiment that Carter had just shared. Did Carter really mean such a thing? To say that no one deserved the good things that they had.

Carter walked Cliff over to a tree with a carving of a heart engraved in the bark. "To love, to be loved. That is not something that we deserve. It is a gift that we are given. It is something offered to us and something we can only choose to accept or decline. The things that we care about: romance, affection, friendship, we never deserve these things. We can only attempt to earn someone's trust and hope that they offer it to us. And Cliff, I want to offer my friendship to you…if you will accept it."

Cliff turned away from the Pastor. "I don't know, I'm afraid."

"We're all afraid Cliff," said Carter, "you are going through things that I could not even imagine…but I want to be there for you, and I know that this village wants to be here for you. Use this place. We want to offer you a second chance. A chance to start again. Healing is a journey, we cannot do it quickly. You need to grow. Grow with this village, grow with the people around it."

"I don't know if I can."

"You can," replied Carter, "I believe you can, and I will be here to guide you. I am not perfect. I will make mistakes." Carter put his hand on Cliff shoulder. "But we can make mistakes together. That is what friendship is all about."

Cliff remained silent. "I…I have no money to stay for long…"

"I can work something out with the Innkeeper. He is a reasonable man."

Cliff crumpled his lips. "People have invited me to stay before…but when they hear my story."

"Trust takes time Cliff," said Carter, "and you should only share this thing with people that you trust."

Cliff gave a little grin. There was a look about him that showed that he had given up.

"Okay…you've talked me into it…"

Carter gave a smile and wrapped his arm around Cliff's neck. "Then welcome to Mineral Town!" he said. "Come, let's go over to the inn!"

Cliff grinned as he picked up his backpack.

"Thank you father," said Cliff.

"I'm a pastor, not a priest," Carter replied.

"Well...what's the difference?" Cliff asked.

"I'm not a Father, I'm a friend," Carter responded, leading the way to the Inn.

"Well, a father can be a friend."

"That's very true. I have many friends who are fathers and many fathers who are friends."

"Wait, I don't really understand what you're talking about anymore."

"Few people do."

"And, why is that?"

"Because people rarely stick around long enough to think about it."

Still confused, Cliff just continued walking with Carter, taking the first step into his new life.

* * *

><p><em>I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter. I am getting ready to leave college and will have a few months for internship and work until I enroll in law school. I don't know when I will be able to concoct the next chapter of The Tree. I even considered taking another break, but I thought that coming back for three chapter seasons would be too Sherlock-ish. Well, all I wanted to say is you definitely haven't seen the last of me, haha. See you all soon!<em>


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